1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sign and, more particularly, to a sign that can be folded.
2. Description of Related Art
Traditionally, folding signs have been placed in areas to convey messages regarding hazardous conditions. For example, safety signs that display a “CAUTION” warning have been used to inform store patrons of hazardous or unusual surface conditions, such as a non-toxic spill. Safety signs that display a “DANGER” warning have been used where conditions are imminently hazardous and may result in death or serious injury if not avoided.
A conventional safety sign can take the shape of a rigid, freestanding cone or pyramid that can be manually folded and automatically reopened by means of a mechanical device. This conventional safety sign includes a flexible covering, such as nylon, for displaying a hazard message. When folded, the conventional safety sign can be slid into a tube-like holder for storage. The tube-like holder typically includes means for mechanical attachment to a vertical surface. For example, the holder may be attached to a pole in a spill-prone area on a grocery store aisle. This enables a store employee responding to a hazard in the area to quickly retrieve and deploy the safety sign.
This conventional safety sign has significant disadvantages. Safety signs of this type have been misplaced. Deployed safety signs have been pushed away from spills by passersby and grocery carts, and store employees fail to return safety signs to their designated holders after use. Also, wall-mounted storage holders have become detached. When safety signs are missing from their designated storage holders or the storage holders are missing, hazardous conditions cannot be quickly and efficiently marked.
Another disadvantage of the conventional safety sign is that it is awkward to handle. The conical or pyramidal shape of the safety sign and the flexible—often slick—fabric covering can make the safety sign difficult to carry and position, particularly when the user is trying to maneuver around a hazardous condition.
Additionally, the conventional safety sign placed on a floor, for example, in a grocery store, can pose a significant hazard to customers who are not paying attention. For example, a customer who slips on a wet surface or trips over a conventional safety sign may fall directly on the sign, impacting the top of the cone or pyramid. The customer may experience an injury, even an internal injury, because conventional safety signs have a somewhat pointed tip at the top.